Refrigerating apparatus.



G. A. BOBRIGK.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1905.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

To all 107mm it may concern:

area. 1

GABRIEL A. so aRroK, or Los ane'annsoamroema.

- nnritienaarme nrraaarus. 3'

aeaove.

"Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 11913.

fAp'plication filed September 20, 1905. Serial No. 27,9,233.

Be it known that I, GABRIEL A. BOBRICK, a c1t1zen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los- Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Refrigerating Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification. 1..

The main object of this invention is to provide a means for efficientand economical cooling of 'lnclosures, such as cold storage rooms,refrigerators, cars or vessels, in which meat, fruit or provisions arestored or shi ped. I r

ccording -to this invention the cooling of the inclosure is effected bythe use of liquid air, or other suitable liquid gas, as arefrigeratingagent, and the invention relates particularly to a system by whichliquid air is supplied automatically to a porous absorbent, also to 'anautomatic distribution of the liquid air'through the inclosure and tomeans for, conserving the liquid air as far as possible.

To simplify the description, I will illustrate and describe theinvention as applied to acar, using liquid air as a refrigerant.

. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and referringthereto Figure 1 is a vertical section of a car, showing therefrigerating apparatus therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of therefrigerating apparatus on'the line -412 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section on the line w -w in Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a transversesection ofthe distributing orcontrolling valve. Fig. 5 shows a difierentform of the thermostatic means i for controllin the liquid air supply.Fig.

6 shows a different form of the liquid air tank. o

1 designates a car, the walls of which are insulated with some wellknown insulating material, such as hair felt, etc.', as shownat 2.Inthe. drawings this chamber is shown as being the body or boX of afreight car which is intended for transportation of meat, fruit or otherperishable products.

Suitably located in the car, for example, at one end thereof, is therefrigerating apparatus comprising a tank or receptacle 3, and anabsorbent packing or filling 4 within said receptacle for holding liquidair, said tank or receptacle bein open so as to expose said absorbentpac ing, and to enable evaporation of the liquid air for cooling the.inclosure. The tank 3 has walls formed of insulating material, saidwalls being preferably double and filled with some'suitable insulatingmaterial such as hair felt, etc., as shown at 6. The absorbent material4 within the receptacle 3 may consist of hair felt, wool or othersuitable material. Means are provided for automatically replenishing thesupply of liquid air to said absorbent material as the liquid evaporatestherefrom and the air in the car becomes warmer; said means comprising,for example, a tank or receptacle 5 for holding liquid air and having anoutlet pipe 7 leading therefrom at the lower part of the tank, orbelow'the level of the liquid air therein and connected through. a valve8 with a pipe 9 communieating with the tank 3 to supply liquid air tothe absorbent material therein. In order to conserve the liquid air asmuch as possible, the replenishing or supply tank 5 is preferablylocated within the evaporating tank 3 and completely surrounded by theabsorbent material 4: therein. A shell or cylinder 10 extends over andaround the inner tank or receptacle 5, said 'shell having its lower endopen as shown in Fig. 2, or erforated as shown in Fig. 6, the space 4:be-

tween said shell and tank being packed with the same absorbent or porousmaterial as receptacle 3, and the said tank having its upper end open asin Fig. 2 or perforated as in Fig. 6, so that the space at the upper endof the inner receptacle communicates through the space within said shellwith the lower part of the tank 3 and a liquid seal is thus provided forthe internal receptacle 5, raising the pressure in vessel 5 slightly,but the open or perforated top of the vessel 5 and the open orperforated bottom of shell 10 will prevent the possibility of occurrenceof dangerously high pressure in. the internal receptacle. l

11 designates a supply pipe through wh ch the receptacle 5 can becharged, said pipe extending, for example, to the exterior of the carand being provided with a valve 12. Should it be found desirable tocharge tank 3 first and then to allow the liquid to overflow into tank5, a pipe 20 may be provided for that purpose, said pipe having a valve21. An overflow pipe 22- may also be providedfor tank 3, said pipehavinga valve 23. The valve 8 preferably operates both to also, ifnecessary, to provide for direct passage of the liquid air from thereceptacle to the chamber or car 1. Said valveis automatic'allycontrolled responsively to the temperature of the air in the car orinclosure 1 by means of a tl'iermostatic device 18, con-, sisting, forexample, of a metallic bar or rod extending in the car and connected atone end to a tixed point and pivoted at the other end to a lever letoperating an arm 15 on the plug 16 of the valve. Said valve is shown asa three-way valve, its several ports being connected respectively to thepipe 7 leading to the bottom of liquid air tank 5, to an outlet pipe, orpipes, 9 leading into the 'lower portion of the intermediate spacebetween the said tank and the outer casing and to an outlet pipe, pipesor coil 19, extending along the car for distribution of the liquid airdirectly into the car, said pipe 19 being perforated at 19 for thatpurpose. The pipe 9 leading into the packing space 7 is perforated as at9 for distribution of' liquid air into the said packing. Owing to theliquid air seal, above described, the pres sure in vessel 5 is highenough to raise the liquid air in pipe 19 for distribution.

The operation is as follows: Liquid air is allowed to flow into thereceptacle 5 through the supply pipe 11 or through pipe 20 until thereceptacle is filled, and the liquid overflows and saturates or fillsthe packing a and t inside and outside of the shell 8. The supply isthen cut off and valve 12' or "21 is closed. The car having first beenpacked with the products for transportation and the doors thereofclosed, the car is ready for shipment. The outer casing or tank 3 beingopen at the top, the packing 1 therein saturated with liquid air, isexposed to the air in the car with the consequence that the liquid aircontained in said packing evaporates atthe exposed surface and reducesthe temperature of the air in the car. Owing to the relatively hightemperature in the car, the automatic valve 8 hasbeen open during thecharging of the vessels with liquid air,

and part of it escaping through pipes 19 into the car has assisted inrefrigeration of the car. \Vhen the refrigeration of the car has reacheda certain point, the contraction of thermostatic rod 13 will operate thevalve 8 to shut off connection to the pipe 19, still leaving open theconnection to pipe 9, so that liquid aid can pass from the tank 5through pipes 7 and 9 into the bottom of outer tank 3 and thus maintainthe packing therein in a more or less saturated condition. Theevaporation from the top of the packing in said outer tank will then besufficient in most cases to maintain the temperature at the desireddegree, and if the cooling effect thereby is at any time beyond theamount desired, the thermostatic device will act to further close thevalve t to cut off communication to pipe 9, thereby stopping the supplyof liquid air to packing t and reducing the amount of evaporation fromsaid packing. ()n the other hand, if the temperature rises in the carbeyond the desired degree, the valve 8 will be opened by expansion ofthermostatic device 13, first to admit liquid air from the tank 5 to thepacking st in tank 3, thereby increasing the evaporation from said tankand tending to hold the temperature down, and if, by reason of abnormalthermal conditions on the outside-of the car, for example, in usuallyhot weather, the reduction of'temperaturc elfected thereby is notsufficient, the valve 8 will be operated by the thermostatic device toopen communication into pipe 19 and allow distribution direct from thetank to the car or in'closure 1. It is desirable to have thedistributing pipe 19 pass along the upper portion of the car so as-togive the bestdistribution of the liquid air therein, and the pressurewithin the tank 5 must therefore be sufficient to raise the liquid airthrough the pipe 19 to the top of the car. This effect is obtained bythe liquid air tank and the resisting or obstructing action of thepacking 1 which opposcssutiicient resistance to the etliux of evaporatedair from the tank 3 to maintain liquid air in tank 5 and at the bottomof tank 5 at a pressure sutlicient for this purpose. The liquid airpermeates the packing from the lower poras above described is applicableto refrigeration of inclosures of any kind, for example, refrigeratorsand cold storage rooms, whether stationary or movable.

Various modifications may be made in the construction; for example,instead of a single valve to control connections to the respective pipes9 and 19, separate valves, indicated at 18, 18 may be provided, as shownin Fig.5, operated by separate levers 14,

14 controlled by thermostatic devices 13,

packing and having an outlet connecting with the lower part of the tankto discharge liquid a1r into the packing and a valve controlling saidoutlet.

3. A refrigerating apparatus for an in- -closure, comprising areceptacle in open communication with said inclosure, an absorbentpacking within the receptacle for holding .liquid air and exposed forevaporation thereof, a liquid air tank inclosed within said packing andhaving an outlet communicating with said packing and-a shellsurroundingsaid liquid air tank and communicating at its upper end with the tankand at its lower end with the packing.

'5. A refrigerating apparatus for an inclosure, comprising a receptaclein open communication with said inclosure, an absorbent packing withinthe receptacle for holding liquid air and exposed for evaporationthereof, a. liquid air tank inclosed Within said packing and having anoutlet communicating with said acking, and a shell sur rounding saidliquid air tank and communicating at its upper end with the tank and atits lower end with the packing, and a packing in the space between saidshell and tank.

6. A refrigerating apparatus for an inclosure, comprising a receptaclein open communication with the inclosure, an absorbent packing thereinfor holding liquid air and exposed for evaporation thereof, a liquid airtank inclosed within said packing and having an outlet communicatingwith said packing, outlet means communicating with said tank and theinclosure, valve means for said outlets and thermostatic meanscontrolling said valve means responsively to the temperature in theinclosure to open communication from the tank successively to thepacking in the receptacle and to the inclosure.

7. A refrigerating apparatus for inclosures, comprising a receptaclehaving insulated walls, an absorbent packing in said receptacle forholding liquid air and exposed at its upper portion for evaporationthereof, a tank for containing liquid air, and

a pipe communicating with the lower part of said tank to receive liquidair therefrom and having a connection with the packing in the receptacleto supply liquid air to the packing.

8-. A receptacle, a liquid air tank the rein, a packing for holdingliquid air, filling the space between the tank and receptacle andexposed for evaporation solely at its upper part, said tank having anoutlet for'liquid air communicating with the lower. part of the tank andthe lower part of said space.

9. A receptacle, a liquid air tank therein, a packing for holding liquidair, filling the space-between the tank and receptacle and exposed'forevaporation solely at. its upper part. said tank having an outlet forliquid communicating with the lower part of the tank and the lower partof said packing space.

10. A receptacle, a liquid air tank therein,

a packing for holding liquid air, filling the space between the tank andreceptacle and exposed for evaporation solely at its upper part, saidtank having an outlet for liquid communicating with the lower part ofthe tank and the lower part of said packing space, and a valvecontrolling said outlet.

